Testimonies abound

On each SOMA mission we are praying that people will Encounter God through his Global church, filling them with the Holy Spirit and equipping them for a lifetime of service. Key to that for most of us is the SOMA foundational teaching on holiness, forgiveness and being filled with the Spirit. After that we push on into the building blocks teaching on healing and gifts of the Spirit such as listening to God. Our teams are also trained in the advanced level teaching on the spiritual realm and deliverance from evil, as well as how to keep going in step with the Spirit after you’ve had an encounter or seen a breakthrough. Each team will discern with the local leadership in advance what teaching might be needed, and then adapt and develop it as they see what God is doing.

On Monday a key focus was the ministry of healing, physical in the morning and emotional in the afternoon. There were many people touched by God’s power in the morning. On the day there was only time to hear a few of the testimonies which included healing from chronic knee pain and from hearing loss. In the afternoon, Becky and Ronald spoke into forgiveness and restoration. Participants wrote down the names of those they needed to forgive and brought them to the cross. Those who could not write, because a generation have not been able to access education, instead drew. Later on these were taken to a symbolic fire pit outside and burnt as people let go of their resentments.

SOMA teaching is anchored in God’s word and especially impactful to many in South Sudan has been the use of Old Testament stories of illustrations of how God might work in refining us as a leaders in character, competency and calling. This week teaching focused on Samson as well as Jesus’ teaching on the Kingdom of God. It was heartwarming to read in the final feedback how God used the story of Samson to change people;

‘My heart is like Samson, but with the teaching I have had today it has really changed my heart.’

‘A good lesson I learnt. Not to make the same mistake as Samson.’

By Tuesday Bishop Joseph Aba was already describing the conference as ‘historic’ as he saw the impact on the lives of everyone attending the conference. He described it as ‘renewing, transforming and energy giving’ in a season of change and revival.

By the Wednesday the team was able to speak into spiritual warfare and about restoration.

As the conference drew to a close testimonies began to pour in, many of them written on post-its and put up on the diocesan banner.

Some of the testimonies

‘I thank God for the conference. Before I love church activities but at some point I withdrew myself out of all of the church for more than five years and can’t pray, but when I heard about the conference God spoke to me to attend and from day one I really understand that I am doing the wrong things… but now I am a changed person.’

‘I have learnt how to release my guilty… I was nervous before and I could feel shame in mentioning God’s name, but ever since [praying at the conference], in God my nerves are over.’

‘I am healed in my inner body’

‘This conference is need of God so that my life should be changed because the work of the Holy Spirit comes near to lead me.’

‘I am now a new born full of faith and trusting in God and now I have a hope in Jesus and believe in his words.’

‘I now believe in life after death and I pray that the Holy Spirit lead me and direct me.’

‘I am happy because this teaching which transform my life. I have a dream which God speak that he have for me and says he have to have plan for my life and lead me.’

‘I was healed from what I was suffering before.’